Indian Railways Introduces Luxury Saloons for the Common Man

By Debasree Chakraborty on Apr 02, 2018

Traveling in luxury on a saloon coach, equipped with a private two bedroom, lounge, and kitchen and toilet setup aboard a train has been made be a reality by the Indian Railways. On Saturday, 31st march, the first of its kind, the luxury saloon coach, complete with air-conditioned rooms, valet service and attached bathroom started its journey. The four-day tour started with six customers on the Jammu Mail at the Old Delhi Railway Station. On completing the journey to Katra, the saloon will be back on April 2.

Opened for the common public, till date the facility was till now was primarily reserved for railway officials to reach places not connected by road or air, was opened to public, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) said.

The saloon coach is equipped with the facilities of a 5-star accommodation with two exclusive air-conditioned bedrooms with attached bath, a large living cum dining room, kitchenette, and rear panoramic window for enjoying views on journey. A valet service will also be available in the future at a chargeable fee. The saloon coach can be chartered at the cost of around Rs 2 lakh.

IRCTC, Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation announced, "The all-inclusive tour offers guests the comfort of a hotel in the train. Exclusive staff will also be available for services on board. Indian Railways will also provide one AC attendant and one saloon attendant for further ensuring hassle free travel."

According to a Press Trust of India report, Indian Railways has a total of 336 saloon cars across railway zones, among them 62 are air-conditioned. Ashwani Lohani, chairman of the Railway Board, on a meeting with travel and trade associations had come to this decision in January this year and launched the services on March. Further expansion of services will be seen this year.

A travel writer by profession and self-professed addict to literature, momos, dancing, music and travelling, Debasree Chakraborty has all interesting things to share. Go through her penned down travel experiences and collected intelligence in her write ups. Read on!